Thanking God for your good fortune is the ultimate conceit

[FanOfFridays]

Quote from Doubter:

____________________________________________

Irony = "All the different senses of irony revolve around the perceived notion of an incongruity, or a gap, between an understanding of reality, or expectation of a reality, and what actually happens.

Your being "judgemental" and calling it "observant" is that incongruity.

??????

 

[nitro]

Money and God have been associated together for as long as human history. e.g., take a look at the back of any American cash currency: "In God we trust". The church is one of the biggest investors in the stock market. The Roman catholics own more real estate than probably anyone in the world.

We may seperate church and state, but money and God? No way.

Pass the basket.

nitro

Quote from Thunderdog:

Some time ago, I started a similar thread ("There but for the grace of God go I.") In that thread, I considered that idiom to be self-indulgent and arrogant, and not nearly as humble as it might first appear.

Recently, I heard someone give a victory speech. He thanked God for his good fortune. It immediately reminded me of other such instances where, in an apparent and misguided attempt at humility, the speaker thanked God for the turn of events. Even Thanksgiving comes to mind.

It is deep and utter bullshit.

Consider the implications. If the victor invokes the name of God into his victory, what does that imply? It strongly suggests that not only did the person succeed because he was better than his opponent, but also because God apparently favored him. This is a double insult to the loser, since he was not only beaten by his mortal opponent, but also is relatively out of favor with God by implication. Therefore, I find such comments to be both audacious and smug.

Rather than assuming that they are sitting at the right hand of God by such unwitting remarks, would it not be more humble and respectful to thanks one's lucky stars for any random element that led to his success?

Similarly with Thanksgiving. When you help yourself to another slice of turkey and thank God for the bounty He has given you, consider what you are inadvertently saying about all of the hungry and disease-ravaged people in the world. By definition, attributing your good fortune to God implies that all of the unfortunate people have fallen out of His favor relative to you. Not only are you healthy and full, you are implicitly also "better" than all of those who are suffering. After all, God smiled upon you, not them.

Don't insult those less fortunate than you by thanking God for your good fortune.

 

[jem]

Quote from stu:

can you explain how you make that stretch (without hurling insults if possible)?

did you not quote here on et someone named jesus?

you have got to lighten up.

 

[FerdinandAlx]

Quote from I am...:

It's called revelation. It's an intensely personal experience that is beyond words. It helps you move from perception back to certain knowledge.

Jesus

In my case it wasn't a shift back in perception, it was a complete turnaround. Just several weeks before I had concidered myself an atheist. Not incidentally my revelation was also my baptizement in Christianity.

 

[stu]

Quote from jem:

did you not quote here on et someone named jesus?

you have got to lighten up.

ok sorry jem my mistake.
You making confusing innacurate pathetic remarks is funny. haha - will try to laugh sooner in future.

luv
stu

 

[jem]

Quote from stu:

ok sorry jem my mistake.
You making confusing innacurate pathetic remarks is funny. haha - will try to laugh sooner in future.

luv
stu

stu you take yourself way to seriously. You are allowed to make a mistake. You make plenty - now you just have to adjust.

 

[stu]

Quote from jem:

stu you take yourself way to seriously. You are allowed to make a mistake. You make plenty - now you just have to adjust.

jem, if you can read that into these few posts between us , then some self reflection on your part in the same regard you suggest to me, would seem far more appropriate.
It's easy to see you either get nasty (more usual) or pretend to have made a joke after one of your disconnects , or inappropriate remarks. So far off target as to shoot yourself in the foot.

btw.. I've only made one mistake in my life:eek:

 

[jem]

Quote from stu:

jem, if you can read that into these few posts between us , then some self reflection on your part in the same regard you suggest to me, would seem far more appropriate.
It's easy to see you either get nasty (more usual) or pretend to have made a joke after one of your disconnects , or inappropriate remarks. So far off target as to shoot yourself in the foot.

btw.. I've only made one mistake in my life:eek:

I have thousands of posts -- how many times have I tried to turn a post into a joke after a disconnect.

I will tell you very close to 0 if not zero. go find proof for your b.s. statement. go look for yourself...

You won't

I am not surprised - you never were one to let facts get in the way of thoughts.

 

[andrasnm]

There is only one Divine Principle with many names.
What name you choose is irrelevant. Having said this, gratitude does not imply that anyone had any "hand" in anything, it is acknowledgement that when one receives one must also give.
We are all ONE, anyway, so when you give to other you are giving to "yourself" in a sense. Thinking otherwise is an illusion, dream and sooner or later we are all awaken.

Quote from bigarrow:

Do you mean gratitude to the god you believe in or will just any old god do? Will gratitude to the Aztec sun god work? I'm looking forward to your answer.